Across the developing world, rural women play a crucial role in agriculture and farming. And Bangladesh, where women exceed 50 percent of the agricultural labour force, is no exception. So it’s no surprise that much of FAO’s work in the country has focused on supporting rural women farmers across a variety...

Agriculture is a sector that holds great promise for pro-poor economic growth. Economic growth is a key success factor for reducing undernourishment, but it has to be inclusive and provide opportunities for improving the livelihoods of the poor. Enhancing the productivity and incomes of smallholder family farmers is the key...

Smallholder farmers have a vital role to play in global food security and nutrition, and in supporting a range of development and climate change goals. Strengthening the resilience and commercial viability of these farmers, particularly women and youth, can increase their capacity to contribute to these global goals.

Farmers are learning to prepare and cope with climatic variations by observing, learning and interacting with farmers and researchers. Science Field Shops in Indonesia are serving as a response to climate change, facilitating this process successfully.

To commemorate the International Year of Family Farming, the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Chennai and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, organised an Asia Pacific Regional Consultation at Chennai in August 2014. Several background papers were prepared...

Parthasarathi,a software engineer turns farmer from Ananthapur district, practicing best methods in Natural farming. His natural practices in Papaya & inter crop system are inspiring.In this Video,Parthasarthi explains the Tips on how to grow papaya inter crop system and how to deal with the diseases such as mealybugs and ring...

The Asia region’s agriculture, livestock, forestry and fisheries produce food through an intricate and complex relationship. Better understanding these associations can help scientists and food producers improve food security and nutrition in a region that is expected to lead global population growth in coming decades.

Mobile phones have been shown (though not uniformly) to positively contribute in various ways to rural development, from reducing information asymmetry, improving functional networks, to increasing access to services and finance. Yet a digital gender divide exists. When contrasted with the fact that women compromise 43% of the worlds’ agricultural...

Plantwise is a global programme, led by CABI, to increase food security and improve rural livelihoods by reducing crop losses. Working in close partnership with relevant actors, Plantwise strengthens national plant health systems from within, enabling countries to provide farmers with the knowledge they need to lose less and feed...

Las Kuatras Marias farm is located in San Narcisso village, near Victoria City in Oriental Mindoro, Philippines, where rice monoculture is the main source of income for family farmers in the area. Applying an extensive knowledge of indigenous and organic practices, the farm is strategically structured in distinct components that...

Farmer Field Schools serve as a platform for mutual learning among farmers and resource persons. Interactions, discussions and hands on training provides an opportunity to revive and sustain traditional knowledge while making improvements through modern science.

A parte del papel de las abejas sin aguijón en la polinización de los cultivos, podría haber un beneficio adicional a partir de los valiosos productos producidos por la colmena: miel, polen y propóleos. Esta tecnología estudia el procedimiento para la recolección de miel, polen y propóleos de abejas sin...

Las cáscaras de coco se utilizan para hacer la cosecha de miel más fácil y disminuir la mortalidad de las abejas jóvenes o cría. La forma más habitual de recolección de miel de las colonias salvajes destruye una gran parte de la colmena. Las abejas necesitan mucho tiempo para reparar...

Family farming is a predominant form of farming in various countries around the globe. Considering its importance, the year 2014 was declared as the International Year for Family Farming (IYFF) by the United Nations. This policy paper by FAO and GFRAS “Tailoring Rural Advisory Services for Family Farms” has been...

India is the land of farmers. Agriculture being the prime occupation of the masses, the sector consists of a big number of farmers who are either into the agricultural or allied activities. The present legal system consists of the laws which are scattered both in their application and approach to...

When Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda) struck in November 2013, it severely damaged or destroyed many seaweed facilities, crippling the income of Filipino coastal farmers who relied on this as their main source of livelihood. The Philippines is one of the world’s largest producers of seaweed and initial assessments...

Earthworm compost can increase soil fertility and help increase the production of vegetables in poor and salty soils. Here we will learn about a fast and easy way to make earthworm compost on a small piece of land.

The Asia and Pacific (APR) region has witnessed remarkable growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in recent decades, averaging an annual 4.5 per cent in 1980-2000 and 4.4 per cent in 2000-2013, compared with 2.6 per cent and 2.0 per cent for the rest of world over these periods. This...

This contribution discusses access and benefit sharing within the context of participatory plant breeding. It presents how Chinese farmers and breeders interact in relation to crop improvement and on-farm maintenance of plant genetic resources. Based on more than a decade of action research, a number of institutional changes were accomplished...

Climate change is altering aquatic ecosystems, driving shifts in physical and chemical processes, ecological communities and the distribution and abundance of species. These changes have implications for fisheries management, food security and the livelihoods of more than 600 million people worldwide that are employed in fisheries and aquaculture or related...